Negotiations
by SqueeG-1
Summary: SJ. Pretty fluffy. Carter tries to negotiate.


Rating: All Ages

Category: Humor

Season: SG-1 Season Eight, SG-1 Season Nine

Pairing(s): Sam/Jack

Summary: S/J. Pretty fluffy. Carter tries to negotiate.

Author's Note: For any of you waiting for a sequel/continuation for Doppleganger, I sincerely apologize. I am working on it, but... well, the muse isn't being particularly cooperative - grrrrr. Hopefully this will tide you over until then, even if it was previously posted on GateWorld. :)

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Once again, thank you to my beta CeeKay Sheppard.

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Sam and Jack sat across from each other at O'Malley's, waiting for Daniel and Teal'C to join them. They chatted comfortably about the inconsequential: little bits of base gossip, who had won that week's pool for when and why Siler would end up in the infirmary, laughing about the mission the previous day that had almost ended up with Teal'C married to a tribal princess. They lapsed into an easy silence, people-watching and sipping their drinks. Well, Sam was people-watching. Jack was just watching her, a small smile on his face.

Jack noticed the expression on Sam's face become a little more glazed, a little more distant. Suddenly, with a small "hmph" noise, Sam pulled her purse up onto the table, removed a pen and started scribbling quickly onto her napkin. Jack watched her indulgently until he noticed Daniel and Teal'C making their way through the room, and then tried to get her attention.

"Sam?" No response was forthcoming.

As Daniel and Teal'C approached the table, Jack sing-songed a little louder, "Sa-am." The two men standing looked back and forth between the two seated, small grins on their faces. Jack shot a 'good grief' look at the other two before pitching his voice very low, so quiet that Daniel could hear only the consonants.

"Carter."

Sam's head snapped up instantly. She blinked a couple of times as she returned to the here and now. She still hadn't noticed Daniel and Teal'C standing off to one side. "Sir?" Sam questioned.

"Important stuff there?" Jack asked, waving his hand at the napkin.

"I finally figured out that formula I've been working on for the last week. It's really quite fascinating. If I can apply this to the reactor then it means we can-" Jack cleared his throat, interrupting Sam mid-sentence. Sam looked at him and then finally noticed the other two, still standing at the head of their table.

With a sheepish grin Sam apologized to her two team-mates before looking back at the man across from her, her face a picture of mixed guilt and pleading.

"I have to go to back to my lab."

Jack shook his head, "Nope. No can do. You're on down-time, remember?"

"Which doesn't officially start until tomorrow. Midnight."

"Nu-uh. I know you. As soon as you leave this table, you're going to lose all track of time."

"Midnight, I swear."

Jack kept his face stern and appeared to consider this for a minute before saying, "Fine, midnight." Sam was already pushing herself away from the table when Jack continued with a raised finger, "But you have to eat something. And I'm calling the base to advise that you're to be forcibly removed from your lab at midnight if necessary."

Sam opened her mouth, clearly prepared to argue with him before deciding that she had better not push her luck. With a sigh she said, "Fine, then," and pushed the napkin into her purse before starting to move away from the table. Sam didn't get very far because Daniel and Teal'C placed themselves in her path at a quick motion from Jack.

Sam frowned at the two large men and then at Jack, knowing instinctively that he was the one responsible.

"You have to eat something here so that we can see you do it, Sam." He laughed at the indignant look that crossed her face.

"You don't trust me?"

"Oh please. I know you. As soon as you walk out of here, you're going to conveniently forget your end of this bargain."

"Well, I can't order anything. It would take too long."

Jack reached for his jacket which was hanging on the back of his chair, rooted through a couple pockets and emerged triumphant with a slightly battered looking energy bar which he tossed to the blonde across from him. "Eat."

Sam scowled at the energy bar in distaste, and then scowled at the three men she was with, who were trying very hard to hide their amused expressions. Sam ripped open the package with her teeth and quickly wolfed down the food, knowing that arguing would just take longer and she'd end up eating the darn thing anyway. She threw the empty wrapper towards Jack, but it just fluttered ineffectually to the table. Sam grabbed her purse and turned hurriedly away from the table, muttering a distracted goodbye.

As Daniel and Teal'C took their seats, Jack pushed up from his and called after Sam, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Sam gave him a blank look as she ran through her 'orders' in her head. 'Food, check; midnight, duly noted. What could I have forgotten?' Jack could almost hear the gears turning as he approached her. He pulled Sam towards him and planted a firm kiss on her lips, pressing her against him with his arms wrapped firmly around Sam's waist. Sam's arms came up around his neck as she kissed him back. Daniel was going red with embarrassment on their behalf since the oblivious couple were drawing a fair bit of attention from other patrons.

Finally Jack broke off the kiss with a popping sound and examined Sam's dazed look with a self-satisfied smirk. 'Oh yeah, I definitely like that look way more than her distracted math face,' he thought.

Sam blinked once again, clearing her expression, and looked at Jack with a fake scowl on her face, trying desperately not to smile. "You're cutting into my lab time, General O'Neill."

"Just wanted you to know what you'd be missing if you don't leave your lab at midnight. You won't get any action if you're locked in a holding cell for the night."

Ignoring the chuckles of three of the most important men in her life, Sam O'Neill set the alarm on her wristwatch.


End file.
